Time to Unplug

When is the last time that you fully unplugged…..your television, radio, computer, iPod, iPad, telephone, and all electronic devices that engage you? Sound easy? Try it for a day and see how easy it is….not!

We have become so accustomed to constantly being active and stimulated by these devices, so much so that many of us rarely find time to simply be still and listen to our inner guidance. For those readers over forty, remember when you’d have free time in a public environment? You might be waiting for a friend at a restaurant or walking down a city street and actually be observing what’s going on around you.

In such a relatively short period of time, Western culture has created a new habit of being on our electronic devices during our free time. I’m not implying that there are not great attributes that can be accessed via electronics. Of course they offer us the opportunity to be creative, to work and excel at our gifts while waiting in an airport terminal and in other countless environments that used to be breeding grounds for “wasted time.” In addition, they serve as a tremendous tool for getting around, knowing where we’re going, and answering most questions asked. It’s simply a matter of balance, and in looking around our fast-paced world of 2013, many of us are practically glued to our devices and feel an unconscious need to constantly be checking our emails, texting friends, sending photos, playing games and being validated via social media.

It’s often hard to know how glued we are to a habit until we break away. I encourage you to get out your calendar and plan an intentional day to fully turn off all electronic devices and devote the day to contemplation, beauty, observation and inspiration. Fill the day with moments that bring peace and expansion. Perhaps take a walk in nature, or write in your journal. Take the time to read poetry or stories that uplift your spirit. Devote an entire day away from electronics and feed your soul through listening to your own unique rhythms, ebbs and flows. In so doing, you’ll begin to create new habits away from the cyber world based on the design of your own inner sanctuary.